Expert says recycle your mobiles

7 October 2009 — 11:05 AM

Consumer should recycle their mobile phones for a number of reasons, one critic has suggested.

Whether it has been dropped, sat on or dropped down a toilet, there is not usually any reason to throw it away instead of giving it a second life.

Not only could this provide some extra cash to put towards the price of a new model, but it is good for the planet, said Christina Frankel for the Tracy Press.

Most people have already owned more than one handset in the lifetime and the emergence of new technology is making new models increasingly favoured over old ones.

But these can be recycled to avoid the planet suffering potentially harmful effects, Ms Frankel explained.

"There is nothing in electronics that is remotely biodegradable," she added. "All that electronics will do in landfills is leach toxins."

Once a mobile phone is recycled, it is assessed using criteria such as its age, value and condition. If it is not suitable for reuse, then any valuable components are recovered and the rest is smelted to harness energy.

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